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Paganism
Paganism is any folk religion or theological belief structure that does not adhere to the beliefs of Luceranity. Depending on the type of paganism, practitioners treat pagans differently. If the beliefs are seen as misguided or benign, then major efforts will be made to convert the pagans to Luceranity. If the beliefs are seen as abominations and hateful to God, such as demon worship, then its adherents are destroyed mercilessly. Spirit Worship Spirit worship, also known as nature worship by many, is the blanket term for any pagan faith that places cosmological emphasis on spirits that influence, govern, or rule aspects of nature and the universe. This type of paganism is the most common, and is usually seen as benign. Dwarvish Folk Religion The Dwarvish shared a common folk religion that revered nature while also holding themselves as separate from it. Though the dwarvish believed in powerful spirits that shaped and influenced nature, many dwarves did not actively worship them, but ignored them or simply acknowledged their existence. The reason for this is that the dwarves as a race are very proud of themselves, and hold their innate talents for masonry, architecture, mining, and metallurgy in high regard -- sometimes seeing themselves as the masters of those domains, similar to spirits and their domains. After the Lucerians mass-converted the dwarves, however, their pagan religion was outlawed and dwarves became devout Lucerians. Dwarvish Pantheon The most powerful spirits in Dwarvish folk religion are seen as Raghnall, Torcull, Calum, Cillian, Molaisse, Aigenis, Daroma, and Amhlaigh. Raghnall was the supposed father spirit of the dwarves, forging them from the Mountain Womb of Ainníleas after its creation by him. He is seen as a powerful mythological figure that wielded a massive hammer that was able to change and shape the environment of the world. Raghnall is the closest to the traditional idea of a god in their ancient beliefs. Elvish Spirit Worship The Elvish folk religions believe that a number of powerful spirits deities govern nature, and that the most important aspects of nature are ruled by the most powerful spirits. All of the tribes and even the Saiduka believe in the same deities, except each places emphasis of worship on specific spirits that they see as the central deity. Pantheon and Hierarchy There are many recognized spirit deities in the Elvish folk religions. The spirits are recognized as being in a hierarchy of power and influence, as well as purpose. The most powerful spirits are the ones that represent what the elves believe to be the most important parts of nature, and are also the ones they most worship. The creator spirit, which was said to create the world and the skies in an instant, is known as Tanka (or the Great Spirit). His two children were Taregan and Winyan, which are respectively known as the Nature Father and Nature Mother. These two had a symbolic marriage, and ruled over the sky. They had three children: Aneptu, Kanuna, and Poloma. Aneptu is the sun spirit, Kanuna is the spirit of the moons, and Poloma is the world spirit. A mysterious spirit known only as the Black Man is held at the same power as Taregan, though it is unspecified when or where he originated. The Black Man is known as the spirit of chaos and trickery, and is generally seen as evil or malevolent by most elves. Below the main pantheon of nature spirits are a series of spirits that also have considerable influence over nature, and more often than not manifest parts of nature. Such spirits as the animal spirits, rain spirits, and harbingers are seen as a direct part of nature. Certain animals are revered as belonging to a certain mystical spirit group, such as coyotes, wolves, eagles, and deer. Cheyenne Beliefs The Cheyenne tribes primarily worship Kanuna the moons spirit, as they most revere and respect the Moons. They also primarily worship Winyan, and are thus a more matriarchal society compared to the Honovi and Wauna tribes. The Cheyenne also have various rock paintings and oral stories of a strange group of spirits that they refer as the Grey Men, which are traditionally described as descending from the stars and being exceptionally tall -- even taller than elves. Beside the Grey Men, the Cheyenne traditions depict strange, white frog creatures described as being from Theletos. Honovi Beliefs The Honovi tribes worship Aneptu the sun spirit due to their primary reverence of the sun. They also worship Taregan to some extent, though it is not as in-depth as the Cheyenne's worship of Winyan. The Honovi also have accountings of the Grey Men, though they are not as detailed, nor do they play as much a part in their beliefs. Wauna Beliefs The Wauna tribes primarily worship Poloma the world spirit. Saiduka Beliefs The Saiduka tend to worship Micanopy, the father-spirit of giants. However, this is not always the case. Many Saiduka also mainly worship Taregan or Winyan. A small amount of Saiduka, usually outcasts and hermits, worship the Black Man, and are said to possess dark powers because of this. Saru Kami Worship The Saru believe in kami, which is the Sarugo word for "spirit-god". The Saru believe that kami live in all things within nature, and that much of nature is, itself, kami. Due to this, there is a high respect and reverence for nature in Sarun culture and society. Orcish Folk Religion Prior to Luceranity waging a series of crusades against the orcs, they practiced a regional folk religion that worshiped supposed gods. The orcish religion featured a pantheon of gods that they deemed as the masters of nature. The central god was Sahar, god of the sun. Mahrukh and Amru were two more powerful deities, and were repectively god of Theletos and goddess of Ennoia. The names also coupled as the official names for the two moons in Orcish. Several other major gods were the center of worship, including Ghorloz the warrior god, Cilonga the wind goddess, and Uthmaa the god of death. Demon Worship Demon worship is seen by all Lucerians as a direct act against God and must be immediately punished by death in most Lucerian societies. Discovered worshipers of demons are usually treated similarly to witches, either being burned alive, hung, or drowned. Demon worship comes in many forms, such as the obvious worship of demonic entities, or more subtle forms, such as making pacts with demons or enlisting in the service of a demon. Worship of the Nine Demon Lords Worship of the Demon Lords is the literal worship of any or all of the Nine Demon Lords of Hell, through any number of means such as sacrifice, enlistment, pacts, witchery, and so on. As aforementioned, there are nine Demon Lords that are the most powerful beings in the Seven Circles of Hell. Adrammelech and Asmodeus are the two most powerful, and thus the most worshiped. Witchery Witchery is the practice in which a mortal individual invokes the power of a demon patron by selling their soul. The witch gains unnatural power as their patron relays infernal black magic into them. For this reason, witches can do a variety of magical things and are privy to knowledge of nature and the universe most people are not. Due to this, however, they are seen as agents of demons, and are relentlessly targeted by those of the Lucerian faith and are wanted dead. Though witches can be granted power from any powerful demon, most seek power from a Demon Lord's baron, so that they are granted power relayed directly from that Demon Lords' domain. Other Pagan Religions Other pagan religions that do not fall under spirit or demon worship are usually entirely misinformed and incorrect on the cosmological structure of Asteros, worshiping creatures and entities present on Mu, or worshiping things that originate from the Void. In any case, Lucerians still condemn any worship that is not directed towards God, and will respond accordingly to the type of worship and where it is directed. Andanzanism Andanzanism, and also known as fatalism, is the folk religion of Canalla that almost all Porquero and Pergrando believe. Fatalists believe that a cosmic force recognized as fate, or Andanza, governs the universe, and that all events that occur throughout all of time is the will of this cosmic force. The Canallans do not worship any actual deities, but do recognize an underworld known as Gris. The worship of fate is embedded in Canalla's culture, and is a major reason as to why the country fell into disarray after the revolution against the former government of their nation. Andanza Andanza, also known as Fate, is the cosmic force that is central to Andanzanism. Unlike other religions, Andanzanists do not believe in a deity. Instead, they revere and worship what they describe as a cosmic force at the heart of the universe, which embodies and controls fate, and thus the past, present, and future of all things. Gris Gris is the supposed underworld that believers of Andanza recognize. It is described as a grey, desolate plane of existence where little occurs. It is a place where those that refused to accept the will of Andanza go upon death. Lucerians believe that the details about Gris are similar to Purgatory and the Ethereal Plane, and that the two are conflated as one. If an individual had followed the will of Andanza all their life, or had eventually come to accept the winds of fate, then their spirit would not go to Gris. Instead, they would remain where they were put to rest, and visit their families once a year on the Day of the Dead -- a Porquero holiday that reveres ad celebrates the dead. Chelonism Chelonism is a cult founded by Bill Jones after his 16-day long excursion into the Kanave Desert. According to him, the world of Mu is actually flat, contrary to popular belief, and that it is on the back of a giant cosmic turtle named Chelon. Chelon Chelon is the deity that all Chelonites worship and believe exists. He is described as a massive cosmic turtle that swims through the "Seas of Asteros", and carries Mu, or Chelonia, on his shell. Chelon is described as an all-powerful being with infinite compassion, wisdom, and love for all inhabitants of the mortal world. Chelon constantly does battle with the cosmic squid known as Khalamar. Chelon is seen as the embodiment of order. Khalamar Khalamar is seen as an evil deity or anthesis to Chelon. He is described as a giant cosmic squid that constantly tries to battle and kill Chelon, but has been unable to do so since the dawn of time. In this infinite conflict between the two, Khalamar also tries to seduce the hearts and minds of all mortals in the mortal plane, which is why evil and corruption exists. Khalamar is also seen as the embodiment of the void and chaos, and is seen as the progenitor of all "otherworldly entities". Transmigration of the Soul Chelonites believe that there is a rigid reincarnation system to the universe, where people are truly inferior to all forms of chelonistic life in Chelonia, which is the religion's term for Mu. It is believed that you are reincarnated as a person until you live a pious life that is accepted by Chelon, and once you die in that life, you are "ascended" into the life of a turtle. Once several cycles of turtle lives have been lived by the soul, they are enlightened to the true nature of the universe, and go on to become a cosmic turtle in their own cosmic sea in the Void, and carry the weight of a new world on their back. In essence, Chelonites believe they will eventually become a Chelon-like deity in their own realm of dominion. Turtle Shell Reading Chelonites practice turtle shell reading, which is a form of divination done through "reading" and obtaining knowledge through the patterns and shapes on turtle and tortoise shells. Tonazico's Dragon Worship The entire civilization and society of the Empire of Tonazico is built on the worship of the dragons that live within the country. These dragons are seen as gods by the Tonazicans. Void Worship In the Cimmerian Age, the practice of void worship began, as the Shedim Incursions began and occurred for hundreds of years. Most void worship was directed at the presence of strange creatures, such as the Voidspawn and Slaad. However, many also worshiped the enigmatic atropals, which of much is not known. One particular atropal by the title of Demiurge had said to have communicated beyond the universe with many misguided, Godless mortals and talked them into worshiping it. Demiurge worship was fought against by the Magisters of Acheron until the collapse of their society. The worship of the Demiurge occurred until the end of the Cimmerian Age and the rise of Melchizedek and Luceranity. One of the first crusades were against Demiurgists and other Shedim worshipers. Category:Religion Category:Lore